Atlanta Braves can’t quiet Cardinals offense in third straight loss

The Braves came into their series with the Cardinals having dropped two straight to the Nationals, but still leading the N.L. East race.

The Atlanta Braves (83-67) dropped their series opener with St. Louis Monday night 11-6, but still hold a 6.5-game lead in the race for the National League Eastern Division title with a Phillies loss to the Mets.

The Nationals also dimmed their own hopes, losing 8-5 to the Marlins.  They are now 7 behind in the Wild Card chase with 11 to play.

There were runs and hits a plenty for both teams with the Cardinals drawing first blood in the top of the first inning off Mike Foltynewicz to go up 3-0, thanks to a bounty of walks.

Freddie Freeman cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third with a two-run homer that scored Ozzie Albies.

The Cardinals got a run back in the fourth and two more in the fifth to extend the lead to 6-2.

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Folty finished his day going 4.2 innings, giving up six runs on five hits. He walked four – all in that 1st inning – and struck out only two batters.

Atlanta answered in the sixth with two runs and added one more in the seventh to cut the lead to 6-5, and kept the Cardinals scoreless through those two innings.

St. Louis picked up three more runs in the 8th courtesy of a Harrison Bader homer off of Jesse Biddle… which had followed 2 more walks.  This put them up 9-5 over Atlanta.

Ronald Acuna drove in a run, then Atlanta threatened again later in the eighth with a , loading the bases, but Freeman struck out on a full count to end the inning, now down 9-6 going into the ninth.

Arodys Vizcaino came on for Atlanta in the ninth and gave up a ground rule double and a two-run homer to Yadier Molina for an 11-6 Cardinals lead.

In the bottom of the ninth, Nick Markakis drew a leadoff walk, followed by back-to-back strikeouts from Johan Comargo and Ender Inciarte. Tyler Flowers was the last hope for Atlanta, but ended the game with a strikeout of his own.

Braves pitchers walked seven in the game, an trend that’s becoming an epidemic for Atlanta arms of late. Sam Freeman and Luke Jackson had scoreless innings for Atlanta, while Jesse Biddle and Vizcaino gave up five runs between them.

The Braves magic number dropped to seven, even in the loss.  The Phillies remain 6.5 games back and Atlanta is a half-game ahead of Los Angeles for 1st round home advantage (though the Braves have proven to be much better on the road).

Atlanta and St. Louis get back to action in a 7:35 ET scheduled start from SunTrust Park in the second game of three with the Cardinals.